Tool for beading or expanding metallic tube ends



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Patented Aug. 24, 1948 AI'OOL FOR READING 0R EXPANDING METALLIC TUBE ENDS Fred Bunliker, Cleveland. Ohio, assignor to The Weathorhead Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 31, 194s, serial No. casual 4 claims. (ci. iss-so) l My invention relates to metal forming and concerns particularly apparatus for beading or expanding tubing.

It is an object of my invention to provide an improved, simple, easily operated tube beading or expanding tool.

A further object of my invention is to form beads in the end of tubing or at points spacedv from the end of the tubing without thinning the tube Wall. f

A further object of the invention is to expand4 the diameter and shorten the length of tubing while leaving the wall thickness unchanged.

Still another object of the invention is to limit accurately the bead diameter of tubing being beaded and to bead tubing without affecting the normal diameter of the unilared portion of the tubing.

Still another object of the invention is to pro' vide for clamping the portion of the tubing which is not to be beaded or expanded and to feed the tube metal from the free end toward the portion to be beaded or expanded.

Other and further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

in carrying out the invention in accordance with a preferred form thereof, I provide a clamping block, preferably. a split block. for holding the portion of the tubing adjacent that portion which is to be beaded and I provide a hollow block adapted to lit around the portion of the tubing protruding from the clamping block. The hollow block is provided with a plurality of collet fingers with collet bulbs at the end thereof surrounded by the mouth of the hollow block and :means are provided for forcing the collet fingers outward in order to produce the desired bead at or near the end portion of the tubing protruding from the clamping block.

A better understanding of the invention will be aiiorded by the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the Vaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a longitudinal medial sectional view of a tube beading tool forming lan embodiment of my invention showing a portion of tubing upon which the beading operation has not yet been performed. Fig. 2 is a view of a cross-section of the apparatus of Fig. 1 repre` sented as cut by a plane 2--2 as seen by looking in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a view 'of across-section of the apparatusof Fig. 1 represented as cut by a plane 3-3 as seen by looking in the direction of the arrows indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal medial sectional view of the end portion of tubing which has been beaded with the apparatus of Fig. 1 arranged and adjusted as indicated in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a first step in forming a double flare in the tubing, the end of which has been single beaded by means of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 illustrating a further step in the formation of a double flare in the tube end shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a view which corresponds to Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating the final step in the formation of a double conical flare.

Like reference characters are utilized throughout lthe drawing to designate like parts.

The apparatus shown by way of illustration in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing comprises a clamping block I I adapted to receive and secure a portion of a length of tubing I2 near the end there-1 of, and a hollow rotatable block i3 provided with` longitudinally and radially movable collet bulbs I4 carried by collet fingers I5. In order to produce a bead in a portion of the end of the length of tubing I2 adjacent the position of the collet bulbs I4, means are provided for forcing the collet bulbs Ill outward radially. Preferably such means take the form of a rod or stein I6 having a conical tip or collet expander I'l, the stem preierably being threaded into the upper portion of the hollow block I3 whereby the collet fingers i4 may be spread by driving the stem IB downward.

Although my invention is not limited thereto, preferably the apparatus is so arranged that the collet fingers i5 may be moved longitudinally or axially with respect to the stem I6 as well as radially in order that the axial length of the bead formed in the tube I2 and the distance of the flared portion from the end oi' the tube may be adjusted or varied as desired. For this purpose the collet :lingers I5 are preferably composed of resilient spring material such as spring steel, for example, and are secured to or form continuations of a sleeve or bushing I8 which is both internally and externally threaded. The hollow block I3 has a bore I9, the upper portion of which is provided'with an internal thread 2| adapted to mate with the external thread 22 of the sleeve I8. The collet expander stem I8, in turn. preferably has an enlarged diameter threaded shank 23 adapted to mate the internal thread of the sleeve I8. Suitable means for rotating the stem I6 are provided, suchas the cross-pin handle 24, for example. In order to x the collet bulbs Il in their axial position with rpect to the block Il in the lower end 25 thereof, when the desired adjustment has been obtained, a lock nut 26 is preferably provided which is adapted to mate the external thread 22 of the sleeve I8. The thread 22 oi the sleeve I8 is made of suillcient length so that it projects from the upper end of the block I3 to provide suillcient length for engagement with the lock nut 28.

The lower end surface 25 of the hollow block I3 and the upper surface 2'I ci the split clamping block II are preferably formed as smooth plane surfaces, perpendicular to the axis of the hollow block I3, the stem I8 and the tubing I2.

When it is desired to produce a curved-substantially arcuate cross-section bead such as the bead 28, displaced from the end 29 of a length oi tubing I2, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the tube I2 is clamped within the block II with a suicient length of tubing projecting from the upper surtace 21 of the block II. To allow for the shortening of this portion of the tubing upon the formation of the bead 28, and to leave the bead 23 the desired distance from the upper end 29 of the tube, the collet finger carrying sleeve 22 is adjusted axially within the hollow block I3 so as to bring the collet bulbs I4 opposite the portion of the tubing to be beaded. The collet expander stem I6 is `then rotated so as to drive the conical tip I"I against the collet bulbs I4 causing them to be expanded outwardly a short distance. The stem I 6 is then retracted slightly to relieve the collet bulbs and the hollow block I3 is rotated to bring the collet bulbs I4 opposite a different portion of the internal surface of the tubing I2, whereupon the stem I6 is again forced inward and this operation is continued until the desired degree of bead has been produced around the periphery of the end portion of the tubing I2. Owing to the fact that the collet bulbs I4 are not allowed to rotate, being rigidly secured upon the fingers I5, the effect of the operation is to draw the upper end of the tubing 29 downwardly-expanding the portion 28 without material eiect on the wall thickness.

In order to fix accurately the outer diameter of the beaded portion 2.8, the hollow block I3 is preferably provided with an enlarged mouth 3I having an internal diameter corresponding to the desired external diameter of bead 28; however, the invention is not limited thereto as by providing an enlarged mouth 3I of adequate diameter, the same tool may be employed for producing beads of different diameters up to the maximum provided by the diameter of the mouth 3|,

The clamping block I2 may be split all the way across or may be provided with a hinge on one side and a quick-lock and release fastening device on the other side if desired. This is preferably done in case the tubing is to be beaded at both ends. Nevertheless, for sake of simplicity in the drawing, I have shown a clamping block I2 with a single split 36 on one side and a suitable tightening arrangement such as a cap screw 31 for drawing up the block I I in order to secure the tubing I2 tightly while it is being beaded.

If it is desired to produce a bead 28 at the distance from the tube end 29, illustrated in Fig. 4, the apparatus is adjusted, as shown in Fig. 1, before driving the expander tip I1 between the collet bulbs I4 and rotating the hollow block I3. If it is desired to produce the bead nearer the end of the tubing, the sleeve I8 carrying the collet fingers I and the bulbs I4 is locked in position higher in the hollow block I3. Also if it is desired to produce a. longer bead than is illustrated in Fig. 4, the sleeve I8 is progrespartial ilare.

sively changed in adjustment so as to bead different portions of the tubing I2 along its length.

In case it is desired to produce a double-ilare in the end of the tube a single arcuate section flared bead is rst produced near the end of the tube such as the bead illustrated at 38 in Fig. 5. This is accomplished by setting the sleeve I8 so `that the collet bulbs I4 will come relatively near the upper end 29 of the tubing I2. Preferably the are is such that the internal diameter at the edge 39 is greater than the internal diameter of the main portion of the tubing I2 producing a The partially flared tube is then placed in a die, such as the die 4I illustrated in Fig. 5, and the upper portion 42 of the ilared bead 38 is turned to a substantially transverse plane position, as illustrated in Fig. 6, by means of a punch 43 having a stem portion 44 adapted to enter the tube I2 with a re-entrant curved shoulder 45 for turning the portion 42 of the flared bead. For completing the -double-conical iare a s'econd punch 46 is employed having a conical shoulder 41 as illustrated in Fig. 7. The terms beads and "beading" as used in this application refer specifically to the construction and operation of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated. It will be understood that essentially I have invented a tool that expands tubing, and under certain conditions as when the end of a tube is worked upon, although the tube is expanded, a true bead will not be produced.

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specli'lc manner in accordance with the provisions of patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto, since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the claims.

I claim:

1. An expanding tool comprising in combination a split block for clamping a length of tubing with the end portion of the tubing to be expanded extending from the block, a hollow block adapted to fit around the protruding tube end withv an enlarged mouth around the portion of the tube end to be expanded, an internally and externally threaded sleeve carrying a plurality of collet ngers with collet bulbs at the end thereof surrounded by the mouth of said hollow block, said hollow block being internally threaded at the end away from said mouth to receive said threaded sleeve, a lock-nut for fixing the axial position of said collet bulb in said mouth and a conical-tip expander having an operating handle and a threaded shank fitting in said threaded sleeve whereby rotation of said handle serves to force said conical-tip against said collet bulbs to expand the latter and to expand the tubing.

2. An expanding tool comprising in combination a split block for clamping a length of tubing with the end portion of the tubing to be expanded extending from the block, tube engaging means comprising a hollow block adapted to t around the protruding tube end with an enlarged mouth around the portion of the tube end to be expanded, said tube engaging means also including a plurality of collet ngers supported within said hollow block with collet bulbs at the ends of the lingers positioned within the mouth of said hollow block, a threaded opening in said tube engaging means axially spaced from the enlarged mouth, and a conically-tipped expander 5 having an operating handle and a threaded shank threaded in the opening in said tube engaging means, whereby rotation of said handle serves to force said conical-tip against said collet bulbs to expand the latter and to expand the tubing.

3. An expanding tool comprising tube engaging means including a hollow block having an enlarged mouth adapted to llt around the end oi tubing to be expanded and a plurality of collet fingers supported within said hollow block, said collet iingers having collet bulbs at their ends disposed within the enlarged mouth of said hollow block, an internal thread in a portion oi' the tube engaging means. and a conically-tipped expander having a threaded shank fitting in the internal thread in said tube engaging means, whereby rotation of said expander serves to torce the conical-tip wainst said collet bulbs to expand the latter and to expand the tubing.

4. An expanding tool comprising tube engaging means including a block having a mouth at -one end adapted to llt around the end of the tubing to be expanded and a plurality oi collet 6 lingers extending toward said mouth with bulbs at the end oi said lingers, said tube engaging means having an internally threaded portion Y substantially concentric with said mouth, and a rotatable' rod with a conical-tip and a threaded shank iltting in said internal thread, whereby the rotation of said rod serves to force said conical-tip against said collet bulbs to expand the latter and to expand the tubing.

FRED

REFERENCES CITED The following references are'oi record in the file of this patent: i

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

